Automobile towing attachment.



W. H. 'STOGKWELL. AUTOMOBILE TOWING ATTACHMENT. APELIGATION FILED JUNE 12, 1913.

Patentgfl. Aug. 11, 1m

Y LWGJMQ.

inventor Attorneys H. STOCKWELL, F SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMOBILE TOWING ATTACHMENE.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ill, 191%.

Application filed ane 12, 1913. Serial No. 773,270.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. STOCK- wami, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Automobile Towing Attachment, of which the following is a, specification.

This invention relates to a towing attachment for automobiles.

An object of the present invention is 'to provide a towing attachment for automobiles whereby the machine towed and the towing one will be held and maintained in spaced rel ation..

A further object is to provide a towing attachment securedto the rear axle of the towing machine and engaging; the iront axle of the towed machine whereby the two cars will be held in spaced'relation, and the front wheels of the towedmachine turned to correspond with the angiilar position of the rear axle of the towing; machine.

A further object is to provide a device in which the various parts thereof are detachable so that the same will occupy little space during the non-use thei-"eot'.

With the foregoing and other view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made Within claimed, without dethe scope of what is parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of trated in which:-

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved device, illustrating the same as connected. to the rear axle of the towing machine and the front axle of the towed machine. is a cross sectional viev taken on the line of F ig. 1. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a view in perspective of one of the locking rings.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate" corresponding parts throughout the several views, 5 is the rear axle of an automobile or veobjects in my inv ention is illus-.

hicle and 6 is the front axle of a similar vehicle. The axle 5 represents the rear axle of a towing vehicle and includes the diiier ential casing 7. The front wheels 8 of the towed vehicle are mounted to swing about the steering knuckles 9 as is the general practice in automobile constructions.

A U-shaped bar 10 is provided with a brace lland with the extremities thereof provided with the clamps 12. The clamps 12 are provided with the thumb scre'w'l3 whereby they may be securely looked upon the rear axle 5 at opposite sides of the differ ential casing 7. The bod portion ll of the bar 10' has the tho '0' o and 17 milled or out cu. .lar sleeve lflhas one 0 thereof removed and d1 the squared portion. iii o. tl... car Ml. nectial to the sleeve 18 is the tie rod Ill) 'a'h. due to the. crook 20 therein lies below the plane of the body portion 14-, the crook or ofi'settii'ig in question allowing for the di in the front axle of automobiles. To rear extremity of the tie rod.19 is piv secured a short bar 21 to which is d. ably secured the clamp 22. the clamp gracing the front axle 6 of the towed nae chine. Mention is made of a second pin otal joint 19 located adjacent the front portion of the tie rod 1.9 which with the loose fitting manner in which the wheels engage the turning arms allows a suificient play of the various parts during the rounding: of a corner as it is thought will be readily appreciated.

Detaohably secured to the squared portions 15 and 17 are the rectangular sleeves 23 connected with which are the arms gen erally designated as 24 and which includes the longitudinal portions 25 and 26 connect ed by or formed integral with. the transverse portion 271- Slidably mounted with the portion 26 is the bar 28 the latter being provided with outwardly projecting sleeve 29 into which are adjustably and detachably secured the forks. A roller 31 is secured to each pair of outstanding sleeves 29 and is adapted to contact with the tires of the wheels to thereby largely reduce the friction between the steering arms 24: and the tires. Also the fork. members are pro vided with similar rollers 32 which contact been used. However,

with the sides of the vehicle tires and are adapted to turn or swing ertin a suitable force thereupon. The adjusta le manner in which the forks 30 are secured to the outstanding sleeves 29 allows the device herein described to be used with vehicles having tires of varying widths.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, square collars 33 are provided and fit over the rectangular sleeves 18 and 23 contacting withthe inner surface of the squared portion'of the rod 10 to thereby secure the saidrectangularsleeves ,to the squared portions. In order to prevent the accidental displacement of the from the squared portions, suitable set screws or other holding means 34 are provided extending through, the sleeves to thereby force the sleeve and squared portion apart with the result that a suitable binding action will be obtained between the sleeve, the square and the squarecollar 33 as will be readily appreciated. In this manher the various parts may be readily taken apart when the device is not in use and will occupy little or no space.

When it is desired to tow an automobile or vehicle, heretofore a rope or chain has this required an operator in the towed car and it required no little skill to prevent the two cars from running into each other. Also considerable difficulty was experienced in the snapping or brea ring of the rope due to' the sudden starting or stopping of either of the cars. with the device as hei'eindescribed, all of these disadvantages are done away withand a rigid tie rod extends between the rear axle of the towing vehicle and the front axle of the towed vehicle whereby the two machines are always held in proper spaced relation, the tie rod taking up and successsleeves fully transmitting compressive as well as and a towed vehicle,

tensional stresses. that the towed vehicle will follow accurately the path of the towing vehicle and to do away with the necessity of an additional operator in the towed car, the steering arms 24: are provided and by reason of the rollers 32 contacting with the front wheels of the towed vehicle any change in angle of the,

respective rear and front axles of the two vehicles will result in a corresponding turning or swinging of the front wheels 8 of the towed vehicle so that the front and rear axles of the respective vehicles will again be brought into. parallelism. Thus the towed vehicle will quickly respond to the turning movement of the towing vehicle. The bar 28 is slidably secured portion 26 of the arm 24 and may be locked in any desired position by reason of the set iscrews 35.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a towing vehicle, of a structure extending the wheels by extowed vehicle,

Furthermore in order Within the sleeve-like between and secured to the said vehicles, and means carried by 7 said structure engaging the front wheels of the towed vehicle adapted to steer the same.

2. The combination with a towing vehicle, and a towed vehicle, of means extending therebetween for holding the vehicles in spacedrelation, and means carried by the said means engaging the front wheels of the towed vehicle for a steering thereof.

3. A towing attachment for vehicles comprising a rigid structure, means carried thereby for securing it to a towing vehicle,

means carried thereby for securing it to a towed vehicle, and means carried thereby engaging the front wheels of the towed vehicle adapted to steer the same.

e. A vehicle towing attachment comprising a'rigid structure, means for pivotally securing the same to the towing vehicle, means for securing the said rigid structure to the means carried by the said rigid structure enga ing the front wheels of the towed vehicle adapted to turn the same for a steering thereof.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rigid structure, means for detachably securing the same to the rear axle of a vehicle, means for securing the opposite end thereof to the front axle of a second vehicle, and means extending therefrom engaging the front wheels of the second mentioned vehicle and adapted to swing the same-t0 thereby maintain the said axles in parallelism.

6. In a mechanism of the class described the combination of a rigid structure, means secured thereto adaptedto detachably engage the rear axle of a vehicle, means secured to the opposite end of said rigid'structure adaptedtodetachably and pivotally engage the front axle of a second vehicle, and arms projecting from said rigid structure engaging the front wheels of the second mentioned vehicle and adapted to swing the same for the steering of the second mentioned vehicle.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a U-shaped bar, clamps secured to the extremitiesthereof adapted to detachably engage the rear axle of a towing vehicle, a tie rod detachably engaging the said U-shaped member and extending rearwardly therefrom, a clamp secured to. the free end'of said tie rod and adapted to' detachably engage the central portion of the front axle of a towed vehicle, arms detachably secured to said U-shaped member and projecting therefrom, forked members with rollers adapted to frictionally engage the 1.

' structure for pivotally securing the moeyzee same to the towed vehicle, and means carried by the rigid structure engaging one of the front wheels of the towed vehicle adapted to turn the same for a steering thereof.

9. A towing device com-prising a rigid structure, means for pivotally securing the same to a towing vehicle, means for pivota.lly securing the same to a towed vehicle, and means carried by the rigid structure engaging a' front wheel of the towed vehicle for a, steerin thereof.

prising a rigid structure, means for securing the same to the rear axle of a towlng vehicle, means for securing the rigid structure to the front axle of a towed vehicle, and

mechanically steer the towed vehicle by the towing vehicle.

11; A device of the class described comprising a rigid structure, means engaging of, and means carried by the rigid-structure engaging the front wheel of the towed vehicle for steering the same by the towing vehicle. 10. A device of the class described com- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. STOOKWELL. -Witnesses: v

L. M. Morrrrr,

E. F. SAVAGE, 

